


falling into place

by BridgetMcKennitt



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Community: fic_promptly, Falling In Love, First Kiss, M/M, Pre-Nationals, Realization, Volleyball Practice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-04
Updated: 2016-02-04
Packaged: 2018-05-18 06:37:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5902162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BridgetMcKennitt/pseuds/BridgetMcKennitt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was Hinata, after all, and Hinata had always been there for him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	falling into place

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Haikyuu!, Shoyo/Kageyama, the squeak of shoes against the gym floor

As he entered the gym for practice, he overheard Tanaka and Nishinoya talking about the beautiful girls they'd see when they all went to Nationals in January.

Tanaka clenched his hand into a fist and pumped it into the air. "They'll see how handsome I am and how strong my spikes are, and they'll all swoon around me."

Nishinoya laughed. "Or they'll swarm around me instead when they see the guardian deity in action." He flexed his arm at Tanaka. "Oikawa has nothing on me."

Kageyama ignored them as he found a place on the court to warm up. Romance and love had never been something that Kageyama thought about all that much. It just wasn't on his mind, not when other things preoccupied his thoughts like volleyball, Nationals, Hinata, and staying on the court for as long as possible. There was no room for anything else.

He frowned. Okay, maybe his first year classes should be added to his list of priorities. Without maintaining good grades, he wouldn't be able to play volleyball with the rest of his team. 

"Oi, Kageyama!"

Kageyama turned his head to see Hinata making his way towards him. He nodded at him. "Hinata."

"I've been thinking about our quick. We need to figure out a way to make sure it doesn't get blocked or received to turn into a chance ball."

Their expressions both turned hard as he remembered their battle with Shiratorizawa Academy and how hard it was for the both of them. He knew Hinata was thinking the same thing. If they wanted to win at Nationals, they needed to evolve even more so than they already had.

"We need to work on your serves first. They're awful."

Hinata shouted, "Hey!" but Kageyama knew Hinata wasn't going to fight him over it. They both wanted to win Nationals. Still, Kageyama shot him a look and that quieted Hinata down. "Fine, Kageyama. Let's work on my serves. But you have to work on your jump serves."

Kageyama scowled. He knew why Hinata brought up jump serves. Hinata was forever his rival, but he was the type of rival who pushed him to great heights. They made for great partners and Kageyama never wanted to stop being partners with Hinata.

But Oikawa.

He'd known Oikawa since their middle school years and that was a rivalry that would never die. The only difference between Hinata and Oikawa was that Hinata truly wanted to soar with him and Oikawa wanted him to crash while he soared instead. And Oikawa's jump serves were something that Kageyama hadn't mastered yet.

"Fine, we'll both practice our serves." Kageyama looked around the gym and spotted Yachi. "Yachi can help us," he said and called out Yachi's name.

Yachi was willing to handle the balls and both Kageyama and Hinata stood behind the line to serve. Kageyama took in a steadied breath before throwing the volleyball in the air and chasing after it in a jump. Beside him, Hinata was practicing his serves, just trying to get them over the net. If they wanted to win at Nationals, if they wanted to defeat Nekoma in an official game (if Nekoma did their part and made it to Nationals), then he needed to evolve by becoming better. When his palm smacked against the ball, it felt good, and Kageyama watched as it sailed over the net.

But that wasn't enough. Coach Ukai told him that Oikawa's jump serves were more power than control, but Kageyama wanted a powerful jump serve with the same amount of control he used when setting a ball for Hinata. Yachi handed him another ball and he took aim.

When he practiced setting for the new quick with Hinata, it wasn't enough to just place empty bottles on the floor to target. He had to imagine Hinata jumping in the air. He needed something real in his mind to aim.

After a few jump serves, it didn't him long to realize that wherever on the opposite court that Kageyama tried to aim for with his jump serve, Hinata was attempting to do the same with his normal serve. He turned his head to glare at Hinata, only to be met with Hinata's big grin.

"I know what you're doing, Hinata."

"It's not working as well as I thought it would." Hinata let out a frustrated breath. "But at least the ball is getting over the net, right?"

Kageyama nodded curtly. "Right." Yachi handed him another ball and he thanked her.

He rolled the ball in his hands, feeling its weight. They'd practiced enough of their serves for today. When he met Hinata's gaze, he knew Hinata felt the same way. Kageyama tilted his head and Hinata cheered loudly, jumping up in the air.

Yachi looked confused, but that was because she wasn't used to the two of them yet. Kageyama was a little surprised himself over how well he'd bonded with Hinata on the court. They barely had to talk in order to coordinate their attacks. And if one of them slipped up, the other had their back. It was... good to have a partner like Hinata.

Kageyama tossed the ball back to Yachi. "Yachi, can you toss me the ball so Hinata and I can practice our quick?"

"Of course!"

He bowed. "Thank you."

He walked to his usual spot on the court and nodded to both Yachi and Hinata. When Yachi tossed the ball to him, he began setting it up for Hinata. The squeak of Hinata's shoes on the gym floor was a comforting and familiar noise as he set the ball at just the right height for Hinata. Hinata was already flying through the air before the ball got there and when he slammed it over the net, Kageyama was pleased.

When he was in middle school at Kitagawa Daiichi, after awhile, there was no one willing to follow him, no one who trusted him. Hinata both trusted and followed along with him in their stunts. No, not followed. Hinata ran right alongside him. They were partners and they were only first years in high school. Kageyama could see the long stretch of their future ahead of him. There was the rest of high school, then university together. They would become pros and represent Japan in a world tournament like the Olympics. Their future was bright and Hinata would never leave him with the sharp sound of a ball falling on the ground after Kageyama tossed it to him. Even with a wild mistake of a set, Hinata would be there.

It was a pretty heady feeling.

Yachi tossed him another ball and Kageyama decided to set the ball slightly closer to the net. He wanted to see what happened. Just like Hinata trusted him, he trusted Hinata. As soon as the ball left his hands, Kageyama turned around to see Hinata in action.

Hinata did not disappoint. Hinata's jump was beautiful in the air as he slammed his hand down against the ball. The hit sent the ball straight down just next to the net. If there had been players on the other side, it would have been too short for any of them to have saved. Then again, if there had been blockers, it might not have made it to that side of the net. That was something they needed to work on. Whether or not Hinata had blockers on him, there had been ways their quick had been stopped or slowed down. It was something they needed to work on when they had blockers to test against the two of them.

But that was for a time later today. Right now, Kageyama was content practicing quicks with Hinata.

He didn't even have to talk to Hinata to relay his thoughts. One glance between the two of them and Kageyama was able to convey what he wanted to Hinata. He tossed the ball all over their side of the court and Hinata was there, ready to spike the ball over the net. A grin from Hinata and Kageyama knew that Hinata wanted to try his feints so Kageyama adjusted for him. He had learned from Oikawa that a setter was not the boss on the court, it was the spikers. Out of all the spikers on the Karasuno team, Hinata was the one Kageyama knew the best. He could anticipate Hinata's moods just as easily as he could his own.

It was exhilarating. Every time Hinata flew, Kageyama felt like he was right there in the sky with him.

Their teammates were doing their own solo practices around them, Kageyama could hear their squeaky shoes on the gym floor, moving back and forth. It was a comforting sound to hear in the background of what he was doing with Hinata. Yachi threw another ball to him and Kageyama sent the ball towards Hinata.

Hinata sent the ball flying. Today, they had connected a hundred percent of the time for their quicks. It was becoming almost as easy as breathing. When they played their matches at Nationals, there would be no mistakes from their quicks.

Then Kageyama saw it and he felt himself being flung back to a match that happened almost ages ago. Kageyama had the sudden urge to try out their new quick, but almost didn't do it. There was no warning and no time for Hinata to prepare. Then Hinata looked at him and it almost felt like Hinata's voice was inside his head, questioning him. _Don't you want to do the quick?_ They were of the same mind through a simple glance, so Kageyama set Hinata up for the quick and Hinata hit it perfectly.

It was the same right now. Except the question wasn't about volleyball, as strange as that was since both of their lives were so consumed with the sport. The question in Hinata's eyes was both simple and complex. It would change their lives forever.

Or would it?

They would still wake up early for volleyball practice. They would still race each other to reach the gym or bus first. They would still trust each other in order to soar to greater heights and remain on the court the longest. They would still be partners. Only, if Kageyama said yes to the question in Hinata's eyes, they would do it on an entirely different level. Though was it that different after all?

_Don't you want to be with me?_

He did. Kageyama could admit it to himself. He did want to be with Hinata. Hinata was the only one who understood the drive and passion that was deep down inside of Kageyama, and not only did he understand it but Hinata's drive and passion was the same as his. Kageyama wasn't like Tanaka or Nishinoya who managed to look at girls as much as they looked at volleyball. The only person who Kageyama had truly looked at was Hinata and he liked what he saw.

It wouldn't be hard to adjust to being with Hinata either. They were already together for most of the day. Kageyama imagined yelling at Hinata like he usually did, then holding his hands or kissing him into silence. It wouldn't be hard to slide such things into their normal routine. It wouldn't affect the team dynamic. Kageyama suspected it might even make them better as a duo. Kageyama certainly felt like a better person with Hinata in his life.

There was simply only one answer to Hinata's question. Kageyama nodded and sent the volleyball flying towards Hinata's direction. The sound of Hinata's palm smacking against the ball was beautiful.

When Hinata landed back on earth, Kageyama walked towards him. His hands tingled in a good way and his mind was clear. Hinata's eyes twinkled at him and he held out his hand. Kageyama took it, taking strength from the warmth from Hinata's hand. It was new, exciting, breathtaking, but nothing had truly changed even though Kageyama felt like he was made anew. It was the same rush when he realized Hinata was able to handle his fast paced setting.

If he kissed Hinata right now, when they were both sweaty and filled with energy, would his teammates even notice? Or would they think it was them, just a different side of them, but still the same people as they always were? Kageyama knew instinctively that none of them would make a big deal out of it. Kageyama was finally on a team where he felt like he was part of the team, where his teammates truly cared about his wellbeing.

So Kageyama decided on a risk that wasn't a risk at all. He grinned, and a flash of thought went through his mind because Hinata once told him his grins were scarier than his scowls, and he pressed his lips lightly against Hinata's.

Just like in volleyball, Hinata went for it with all his heart and met Kageyama halfway. Hinata's other hand curled into a fist as he grabbed onto Kageyama's jersey. There was no hesitation between the two of them as they kissed.

"If you're done sucking each other's faces, can we use the court and do a team practice?" asked Tsukishima.

Kageyama opened his eyes, not realizing he closed them in the first place, and remembered where they were. Hinata did the same and they slowly broke apart from each other. Kageyama wasn't embarrassed, however, not when it was his teammates around him and Hinata was by his side. He squeezed Hinata's hand before dragging him off the court.

Everyone, from Tsukishima's smirking face to Coach Ukai's raised eyebrow, stared at them for a few moments before everyone went back to focusing on the practice. Hinata kissed Kageyama on his cheek before withdrawing his hand from Kageyama's and getting to his position on the court.

They'd talk after their practice tonight because a relationship deserved words and strategy. It'd be just like talking strategy before a match. Kageyama took in a deep breath and let it out. They were only first years in high school, but when Kageyama thought about volleyball, Hinata was right there in his thoughts.

Kageyama took his place on the court and shot a glance towards Hinata. Their gazes met and Kageyama knew what he had with Hinata was just as real as his love for volleyball. It would take time to develop this thing between them, but Kageyama was confident. It was Hinata, after all, and Hinata had always been there for him.


End file.
